Real-World Finances 101: Smart Money Tips for Recent Grads

Youâ€™ve walked across the stage, and graduation is over. Now youâ€™re inching your way into the world of adulthood equipped with working a 9-to-5 and paying bills. For the majority of post-college grads, handling their own finances is a new--- and scary---experience.

According to FinAid, graduating seniors leave college with an average of $23,000 in loan debt. Add to that rent, utilities, gas, and groceries, and itâ€™s easy to dig yourself into a deep hole with the average entry-level salary. While surviving on a starting salary is difficult, itâ€™s not impossible. Here are four tips from Darric N. Boyd, a Merrill Lynch certified financial expert, on getting (and keeping) a grip on your newfound finances. --- Jamie Harrison